Conservatives' Clout May Wane After Runoff Elections Thursday

VOTE '92

Religious Right Voters Could Influence The Outcome, But Their Strength Will Ebb When More People Turn Out In November.

September 30, 1992|By Mike Oliver Of The Sentinel Staff

Thursday's runoff election may be the last hurrah this political season for a string of Central Florida candidates and the religious right.

After helping their favorites win more than half the races in the Sept. 1 primary, conservative Christian voters could make a strong statement in the runoff because only die-hard voters are expected to make it to the polls.

Elections officials project that only about one in 10 adult Floridians will vote on Thursday.

Strength from religious groups will be diluted in the November general election because many more voters will make it to the polls to vote in the presidential race.

Races on Thursday's ballot will determine the party's nominee to face an opponent in the general election Nov. 3. In some cases, races will be decided Thursday.

Highlighting ballots in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties will be races for sheriff.

Gallagher has long had support in the conservative Christian community. And Beary, who attended the Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, has picked up some religious right support.

The winner will face Democrat Wayne Bird in November.

Orange County Property Appraiser Ford Hausman, who has held the office since 1967, faces state Sen. Rich Crotty in the Republican runoff. The winner will face Democrat Rudy ''Bud'' Heinkel, senior plans examiner for Orlando's building department.

Also in Orange County, Stephen Argalas, a former salesman and telephone company executive, squares off against media consultant Edward McDonough in a GOP runoff for supervisor of elections. The winner will meet incumbent Democrat Betty Carter.

Republican runoffs will determine the final winners in two Central Florida House contests. Real estate broker Carlene Julian and attorney Bill Sublette are vying for Orange County's District 40 seat. Likewise, businessman Wes Pennington and Altamonte Springs Commissioner Lee Constantine are seeking the District 37 seat representing parts of Orange and Seminole counties.

Candice Crawford, sister of the state's agriculture commissioner, and Orlando lawyer Buddy Dyer are embroiled in a hot Democratic runoff in Orange-Seminole state Senate District 14. The winner will face Republican Steve DeMino.

The Seminole sheriff's runoff pits Republican incumbent Don Eslinger against Lake County sheriff's Sgt. Larry Conniff, who hopes to benefit from an endorsement by a Christian group.

The lone congressional runoff affecting Orange and Seminole counties is District 3, which covers 14 counties from Orange to Duval to Alachua. Jacksonville state Rep. Corrine Brown and Duval developer Andy Johnson square off in the Democratic runoff.

District 3's GOP nomination is a battle between Steve Kelley, owner of a pest-control business, and Don Weidner, executive director of the Florida Physicians Association.

Democrats J. Rick Roach, a management consultant, and real estate attorney James Willard will battle it out for Orange County School Board District 4. The victor takes on the winner of the GOP runoff between community activist Nancy Borkes and Dr. Phillips High School principal Bill Spoone.

In the lone Orlando City Council runoff, corporate Realtor Don Ammerman and businesswoman Nancy Patterson face each other for the District 1 seat. It's a non-partisan race where the winner takes all.

Elsewhere in Central Florida:

- Osceola County's Republican primary runoff in the sheriff's race has taken on David-versus-Goliath terms. Challenger Larry Gaunt has financed his race with less than $5,000, while incumbent Jon Lane has spent at least $60,000.

The winner will face C.W. ''Charlie'' Croft, once one of Lane's top commanders.

- In Volusia County, voters will decide whether to raise the sales tax one penny to 7 cents on the dollar.

The $521 million expected to be raised over 15 years would be designated for new schools, parks, roads and other public works projects and land purchases. County and school officials say visitors would pay 28 percent of the tax.